While attending Mass at a parish out of town, my girlfriend received the chalice (I have not done so in a long time) and told me afterward that it had a strong peach taste. I remember attending Mass there sometimes in the past, when I still received from the chalice on occasion, and having some very strong and unusual (and admittedly delicious flavors) – sometimes peach, sometimes apple, etc. No other parishes in the area seem to use such wines for Mass.

This seems really curious to me, as I know liturgical law requires altar wine to be 100% grape, so that wine made of peaches or apples would be absolutely forbidden. Is there some way, then, to introduce such flavors to grape wine without adulterating it to the point of its becoming invalid matter?

It’s very likely that the wine wasn’t “flavored” at all. Many wines have what are sometimes called “fruity notes” and this depends on a number of factors including the variety of grape and the soil conditions where they grapes were grown. For example, certain whites may have notes of apple or peach, while certain reds may have notes of cherry or strawberry.

It’s very likely that the wine wasn’t “flavored” at all. Many wines have what are sometimes called “fruity notes” and this depends on a number of factors including the variety of grape and the soil conditions where they grapes were grown. For example, certain whites may have notes of apple or peach, while certain reds may have notes of cherry or strawberry.

I wish I knew more about wine. Is it customary for fruity notes to be so… aggressive? My recollection of taking the chalice there is that there is no hint of grape flavor or anything else at all, it’s just an extremely sweet and fruity taste, enough that one can smell it before even drinking it. It really hardly tastes like wine at all.